Israel and upcoming cruise

[A&L_Ont]

On 10/9/2023 at 5:57 AM, Jetstreamer said:

According to Cruisemapper, Rhapsody is currently docked in Haifa. 

Not sure if you are aware or not, but there are ship tracking sites which are based upon schedules entered months ago and not actual location. 
 

A site such as Marine Traffic is real-time and will show where the ship is actually located.  From their site Rhapsody is currently in Cyprus. 

[Jetstreamer]

24 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Not sure if you are aware or not, but there are ship tracking sites which are based upon schedules entered months ago and not actual location. 
 

A site such as Marine Traffic is real-time and will show where the ship is actually located.  From their site Rhapsody is currently in Cyprus. 

 

Nope, Rhapsody was in Haifa yesterday when I posted.  It only stayed a few hours (presumably to let Israelis off the ship) then left.  Cruisemapper is a tracking site just like Marine traffic (but without all those other non-cruise ships getting in the way!)  It shows cruise ships where they are, not where they are supposed to be!  You can also verify from other sources that the Rhapsody was in Haifa yesterday.  Doubt it will be there again any time soon 😞

[crazyank]

On 10/8/2023 at 3:35 PM, fenton04 said:

To get to Tel Aviv international airport you have to travel nest to the West Bank.  The West Bank!

Absolutely NOT true

[October17]

We are on the Odyssey, and we were supposed to have two stops in Israel. They changed them to stops in Bodrum, Turkey and Limassol, Cyprus. That also meant the sea days got switched around. So we went directly from Santorini to Bodrum. I’m impressed that Royal managed to scrounge up excursions on such short notice. 
 

I’m adding the info letter we received 

Edited October 10, 2023 by October17
Typos

[fenton04]

22 minutes ago, crazyank said:

Absolutely NOT true

Thanks for all your help.  It is greatly appreciated.

[PhilRSchultz]

13 minutes ago, October17 said:

We are on the Odyssey, and we were supposed to have two stops in Israel. They changed them to stops in Bodrum, Turkey and Limassol, Cyprus. That also meant the sea days got switched around. So we went directly from Santorini to Bodrum. I’m impressed that Royal managed to scrounge up excursions on such short notice. 
 

I’m adding the info letter we received 

Thanks.  To make sure I’m understanding, are you saying your cruise “shuffled” other existing port dates (besides Israel) to accommodate the new port days in Bodrum & Cyprus because that has been one of my questions in all of this?

[October17]

42 minutes ago, PhilRSchultz said:

Thanks.  To make sure I’m understanding, are you saying your cruise “shuffled” other existing port dates (besides Israel) to accommodate the new port days in Bodrum & Cyprus because that has been one of my questions in all of this?

We still have the same number of ports and sea days, but instead of a sea day after Santorini, we had Bodrum. And today is sea day, instead of Haifa. Tomorrow is Limassol instead of Ashdod/Jerusalem.  Then we resume the original itinerary with a sea day before Souda, Crete.

[A&L_Ont]

4 hours ago, Jetstreamer said:

 

Nope, Rhapsody was in Haifa yesterday when I posted.  It only stayed a few hours (presumably to let Israelis off the ship) then left.  Cruisemapper is a tracking site just like Marine traffic (but without all those other non-cruise ships getting in the way!)  It shows cruise ships where they are, not where they are supposed to be!  You can also verify from other sources that the Rhapsody was in Haifa yesterday.  Doubt it will be there again any time soon 😞

My apologies.  I didn’t catch that your post was yesterday, I only looked today. That said, I also didn’t realize that cruisemapper is also in real time. I will add it to my sites of tracking. 
 

I too am sad that any cruise ships be there anything soon. 

[torpeedo]

Right now I personally would not want to be anywhere in the Mediterranean.  I still have memories of the Achille Lauro.   I"m sure Royal is taking all precautions they can and will remove ships if they feel the risk is high but it's all such an unknown at this time. Just my opinion and I really hope all does go fine with all the cruisers and ships in the Med. 

[exm]

3 minutes ago, torpeedo said:

Right now I personally would not want to be anywhere in the Mediterranean.  I still have memories of the Achille Lauro.   I"m sure Royal is taking all precautions they can and will remove ships if they feel the risk is high but it's all such an unknown at this time. Just my opinion and I really hope all does go fine with all the cruisers and ships in the Med. 

 

The Mediterranean, even the Eastern around  Cyprus,Turkey and Greece should be fine. Not sure why you think there's a potential issue in the Mediterranean? They really need to stay out side of rocket range, but even so: chances of an unguided rocket hitting a moving cruise ship is pretty much zero.

[torpeedo]

10 minutes ago, exm said:

 

The Mediterranean, even the Eastern around  Cyprus,Turkey and Greece should be fine. Not sure why you think there's a potential issue in the Mediterranean? They really need to stay out side of rocket range, but even so: chances of an unguided rocket hitting a moving cruise ship is pretty much zero.

Just that this war can spread  and nobody knows where this is really going.  I just would not go.

Edited October 10, 2023 by torpeedo

[teddie]

22 minutes ago, torpeedo said:

Right now I personally would not want to be anywhere in the Mediterranean.  I still have memories of the Achille Lauro.   I"m sure Royal is taking all precautions they can and will remove ships if they feel the risk is high but it's all such an unknown at this time. Just my opinion and I really hope all does go fine with all the cruisers and ships in the Med. 

 

I feel the same.  It's a small region, and can go extremely volatile. I have many, many relatives in Cyprus, and in the Limmasol area.  @dani negreanu and others in Israel and surrounding areas, please stay safe.

 

Teddie

[gumshoe958]

49 minutes ago, torpeedo said:

Just that this war can spread  and nobody knows where this is really going.  I just would not go.

I know what you mean. I’ve cancelled all my planned trips to the US because Alaska’s only 55 miles from Russia. It’s just not safe.

[jclinard]

9 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

I know what you mean. I’ve cancelled all my planned trips to the US because Alaska’s only 55 miles from Russia. It’s just not safe.

Russia and the US are actually only 2.5 miles at their closest point.

Edited October 10, 2023 by jclinard

[teddie]

37 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

I know what you mean. I’ve cancelled all my planned trips to the US because Alaska’s only 55 miles from Russia. It’s just not safe.

 

That is rather insensitive to those who may truly be in harm's way.  It is a war, after all.  

 

Teddie

[smokeybandit]

American Airlines paused all flights to Israel until December 4. That should be a clue of how long (at a minimum) cruising will be paused there.

[richmke]

6 hours ago, exm said:

 

The Mediterranean, even the Eastern around  Cyprus,Turkey and Greece should be fine. Not sure why you think there's a potential issue in the Mediterranean? They really need to stay out side of rocket range, but even so: chances of an unguided rocket hitting a moving cruise ship is pretty much zero.

Actually, the chances of an unguided rocket hitting any specific target is pretty much zero. The odds of it hitting something is pretty high.

[October17]

I just got back on the Odyssey in Limassol, and noticed two military ships in port (there was only one in the morning when I left for town). One had a UN label, and the other a green-white-red (Italy?) flag with some seal in the middle. Staffed by armed people in camouflage, kind of spooky, but the town still feels very safe, nothing unusual 

Edited October 11, 2023 by October17

[Ret MP]

16 hours ago, jclinard said:

Russia and the US are actually only 2.5 miles at their closest point.

Apparently, some folks don't know about the Diomede Islands.

[amindu]

2 hours ago, Ret MP said:

Apparently, some folks don't know about the Diomede Islands.

 

 

19 hours ago, jclinard said:

Russia and the US are actually only 2.5 miles at their closest point.

 

 

Thank you learned something new, i actually had no idea about these Islands.  So Little is part of AK and Big is Russia.  Very interesting. 

[Jetdriver787]

And they are a whole day apart.

 

[teddie]

3 hours ago, Ret MP said:

Apparently, some folks don't know about the Diomede Islands.

Kamchatka Peninsula, anyone?

[Ret MP]

7 hours ago, teddie said:

Kamchatka Peninsula, anyone?

Not for me, I have this weird aversion to volcanos and as I get older, I don't much care for cold weather, either.  However, I don't think I'd do well in Russian territory.  

[Lane Hog]

United and Delta have both canceled service to TLV thru the end of October.

UA did add some flights to Athens for those who need to get in/out of the region, and is still flying to Amman, but I'd think both could see cuts if things escalate up north.

[LouChamp]

On 10/11/2023 at 10:18 PM, Ret MP said:

Not for me, I have this weird aversion to volcanos and as I get older, I don't much care for cold weather, either.  However, I don't think I'd do well in Russian territory.  

Aloha. Then you would not enjoy living in Hawaii lol!